How to connect external hard disk to laptop safely

Connecting a hard disk to a laptop is usually a straightforward affair. Laptops have USB ports and hard drives a plug. Plug one into the other and you’re set. Sometimes, though, there can be some complications, especially with powered or high capacity drives. Let’s take a closer look at what to do in those scenarios.

Power requirements

Connecting a hard drive directly to a laptop’s USB port isn’t usually an issue. Regardless of whether that port is USB-A or USB-C, as long as the HDD has a compatible cable, you’re fine.

Issues can emerge when you’re using an external USB dock or hub. Hard drives contain mechanical parts and tend to require more power than a thumb drive or SSD. Hubs that are powering other devices can sometimes struggle to deliver sufficient power to a high-capacity HDD. To avoid this issue, plug high-capacity HDDs (with 4 TB or more capacity) into a dedicated USB port on the laptop and not into a hub.

External hard drives that require external power must also be powered on before being plugged in. This ensures that the disk connects safely and with minimal risk.

Check for physical damage

Always check for physical damage on the data and/or cable you’re using to connect your HDD to a laptop. Small children and pets (especially cats) tend to chew on cables and can damage them. Cables can also get kinked in bags and short connections. Connecting an external HDD to a laptop with a damaged cable can result in a short that fries your HDD or damages your laptop.

If there’s any sign of damage, or even a hint of one, swap the cable out immediately.

Use the correct port

Some laptops have USB 2.0 rated ports designed for connecting mice and other peripherals. Connecting an external HDD to these ports will result in the drive underperforming badly and thus very slow data transfers.

Check your laptop model to confirm which ports are rated for data transfer at USB 3.0 spec or greater. Note that some laptops offer Thunderbolt ports that may not be compatible with certain USB-C hubs, creating issues with external HDDs connected to such hubs.

ALSO READ: How to check your hard drive’s health

That’s it! Safely connecting your HDD to your laptop isn’t much harder than this. A few simple checks before connecting are all you need to ensure that the drive is connected safely.